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Heathrow Airport in Britain announced a complete shutdown for Friday following a major fire at an adjoining electrical substation that resulted in a widespread power outage, disrupting flight schedules globally.
Approximately 70 firefighters from the London Fire Brigade battled the blaze, which occurred in the western part of London. The incident compromised power at Heathrow, recognized as Europe’s busiest airport and the fifth-busiest in the world.
Flames and thick black smoke were visible in the night sky as emergency crews worked to control the situation. By dawn, the vicinity of the airport showed minimal activity, with a few passengers seen departing on foot with their luggage.
The fire brigade stated that investigations would commence to determine the cause, while expressing commitment to minimize disruption and support affected communities. Initial assessments suggested that the incident was not related to foul play, according to Energy Minister Ed Miliband.
Heathrow reported that it was meant to accommodate 1,351 flights and approximately 291,000 passengers on that day, but due to the power outage, it will remain closed until midnight. Flight tracking services indicated that over 120 incoming flights had to change course to alternate airports.
“Passengers should refrain from traveling to the airport and should check with their airlines for updates,” the airport advised. “We apologize for the inconvenience.”
The fire, detected shortly after 11 p.m. local time on Thursday, led to flight diversions across the UK and Europe, while many long-haul flights simply returned to their departure points.
Miliband described the fire as “catastrophic,” highlighting that it had hindered the airport’s backup power systems, forcing engineers to activate a secondary backup solution.
Global Flight Disruptions
Experts in the travel industry are warning of significant ramifications for global tourism and trade, as flight cancellations and delays will arise from aircraft being stranded unexpectedly.
Ian Petchenik, a spokesperson for FlightRadar24, remarked on the importance of Heathrow in global air travel, stating, “This is going to affect airlines’ operations worldwide.”
British Airways, which had planned for 341 flights to land at Heathrow on Friday, acknowledged the substantial operational impact and is promptly informing customers about their travel options during this disruption.
Flights from various regions faced redirection, with examples including Qantas rerouting its Perth to Paris flight, United Airlines diverting a New York to Shannon journey, and another flight from San Francisco landing in Washington, D.C. instead of London.
Some transatlantic flights even turned back mid-route to their original destinations rather than risk landing at Heathrow.
Anticipating Further Airline Challenges
Travel analysts predict that the chaos experienced in the immediate aftermath will extend beyond Heathrow, complicating the logistical networks of numerous airlines heavily reliant on precise aircraft and crew positioning.
Henry Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst with Atmosphere Research Group, voiced concerns over how airlines might manage the upcoming backlog of passengers, suggesting that travelers should prepare for potential disruptions in the days ahead.
Passengers like Adrian Spender, who was onboard an Airbus A380 destined for Heathrow, shared their experiences on social media, noting uncertain routing mid-flight over Austria.
Ongoing Challenges at Heathrow
Heathrow has faced outages before, including incidents of an automated gate malfunction and an air traffic system failure, both of which occurred in 2023.
A spokesperson for Heathrow conveyed to Reuters that clarity surrounding the restoration of power remains elusive, indicating expectation of ongoing significant disruptions in the following days.
The local area has also felt the impact of the fire, with many residents and businesses left without electricity. The Fire Brigade confirmed that they had safely evacuated 29 individuals from surrounding properties due to safety concerns, establishing a 200-meter cordon around the site of the blaze.
Source
www.cbc.ca